A draft failure. That label clung to Shedeur Sanders right up until Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans. Even in a Cleveland Browns loss, Shedeur flipped the script, firing three touchdown passes and reminding everyone why the noise never really made sense.
From that moment on, the Sanders family turned the volume all the way up in his defense, though Deion “Bucky” Sanders Jr. wants Shedeur to acknowledge their support.
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Shedeur Sanders Made Brothers Wait on the Sidelines
Deion Jr. and Shilo Sanders recently pulled up to one of Shedeur’s Browns sessions, and, naturally, the moment made its way onto Well Off Media.
Bucky showed up in a black Nike hoodie stamped with Shedeur’s image and the words, “I’m who they been looking for.” Full support mode. Or at least, it started that way. Because while Shedeur was locked into practice, his brothers were left hanging. Junior panned the camera toward empty sidelines and joked, “Everybody else over here gone,” while Shilo laughed in the background.
The wait kept stretching, and so did the jokes. “I ain’t wearing this hoodie no more,” Junior said, half-serious, half-smiling, before admitting he was just trying to support his brother.
The banter peaked when Junior couldn’t keep a straight face and cracked, “I ain’t wearing this stupid a** hoodie no more.” Nothing malicious, just brothers passing the time while one of them handles business.
And when Shedeur finally walked over, he entered with a reminder of his own: This is how he used to wait at school when rides ran late.
Behind the jokes, though, the support is ironclad. The Sanders brothers have been loud when it matters, especially during Shedeur’s rocky moments with the Browns. Back in October, when Shedeur gave a silent, mime-like response to questions about the Dillon Gabriel decision, criticism poured in fast.
Junior answered for him: “People who ‘blend in’ trying to teach people who ‘stand out’ how to ‘blend in.’ Basically, advice on how to be average.”
Coach Prime, unsurprisingly, had his son’s back. “Good 1 son. You did that,” Deion Sanders said publicly, stamping approval on Shedeur’s approach.
How’s the Future Looking for Shedeur?
For the Browns, a 3–12 record tells only part of the story. A 32nd-ranked offense (per PFSN’s Offense Impact metric) is another part of it. But the bigger storyline has been at quarterback, where Sanders’ journey has reshaped the tone of the season. Initially buried as QB4, he has since climbed the depth chart and taken over as the starter since Week 12, forcing the Browns to reassess their long-term plans.
Sanders’ growth hasn’t been linear, but it’s been noticeable. Through five starts, he’s shown promise, including a 69% completion rate against Buffalo after struggling to 51.4% versus Chicago two weeks earlier.
“I’m super appreciative that everything happened how it happened,” Sanders said. “If I look back from the Ravens game to now, I’ve improved in experience.”
Head coach Kevin Stefanski echoed that sentiment, noting, “He seems to be really taking on that leadership mantle,” a key trait Cleveland has long searched for at the position.
The numbers, however, remain a concern. Over his last five games, Sanders owns a 73.7 passer rating, the lowest in the league during that span. He’s been sacked 13 times in that stretch, sixth-most leaguewide, highlighting both offensive line issues and his tendency to extend plays. While he did throw three touchdowns in Week 14 against Tennessee, consistency has been elusive, and wins haven’t followed.
That leaves Cleveland at a familiar crossroads. Holding the No. 3 overall pick, the Browns must decide whether Sanders’ leadership and late-season momentum outweigh his statistical floor.
Sanders, for his part, isn’t looking ahead. “I live in the present. I’m focused on this week because nothing’s promised going into next year,” he said.